FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 15, 2002
COLORADO COUPLE SENTENCED FOR TAX FRAUD
DENVER – United States Attorney John W. Suthers and James D. Vickery, Special Agent In Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Denver Field Office announced that NORBERT F. VOELKEL and ANGELIKA VOELKEL of Denver, Colorado, were sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court by Judge Edward W. Nottingham for Failure to File Income Tax Returns. ANGELIKA VOELKEL was sentenced to 1 year and 1 day in federal prison and fined $5,000. NORBERT VOELKEL was sentenced to 2 years probation, 100 hours of community service and fined $5,000.
NORBERT VOELKEL pled guilty on December 7, 2001 in U.S. District Court to Willful Failure to a File an Income Tax Return for 1996. ANGELIKA VOELKEL pled guilty the same day to Willful Failure to File Income Tax Returns for 1995 and 1996.
According the plea agreement, the violations occurred between January 1, 1994, and continued through August 15, 1997. During 1994, 1995, and 1996, NORBERT VOELKEL was employed as a professor of medicine with the University of Colorado Health Science Center, a position he has maintained since 1981. During the calendar years 1994 and 1995, his primary income was derived from his salary from the University of Colorado, which was paid in the form of monthly deposits into his checking account. He received gross income in the amounts of approximately $106,238, $117,033 and $117,194 for 1994, 1995 and 1996 respectively.
During 1994, 1995 and 1996, ANGELIKA VOELKEL owned and operated her own medical practice, Functional Capacity Evaluation Associates, P.C. Functional Capacity provided physical, occupational and rehabilitative medicine to patients. The company additionally provided independent medical evaluations for court cases in which ANGELIKA VOELKEL testified as an expert witness. Through her solely owned corporation, she received gross income in the amounts of approximately $211,054, $330,634 and $289,196 for 1994, 1995, and 1996 respectively.
The VOELKEL’s filed joint income tax returns for 1990 through 1993, reporting NORBERT VOELKEL’s income, as well income from ANGELIKA VOELKEL’s medical practice. The 1990 through 1993 tax returns reported substantial tax liabilities. In previous years, the VOELKEL’s incurred penalties for failure to make estimated tax payments and failure to pay. In 1995, the IRS served a notice of levy on the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center for collection of the VOELKEL’s 1993 unpaid taxes of $19,024.00. Internal Revenue Service certified transcripts of account show that they did not timely file their federal individual tax returns for 1994, 1995, and 1996, even though each had obtained extensions to do so. The VOELKEL’s three year pattern of failing to file income tax returns coincided with their purchase of land in August of 1994 and construction of a $500,000 resort home in Taos, New Mexico. Both were charged in a six count Information on August 14, 2001 in U.S. District Court, in Denver, Colorado.
“Prompt and accurate filing of federal income tax returns is an important part of our nation’s economy,” United States Attorney John W. Suthers said. “Those who flagrantly violate our tax laws are subject to aggressive criminal prosecution,” Suthers said.
“The IRS-Criminal Investigation investigates alleged complex financial crimes associated with tax evasion, money laundering, narcotics, organized crime, public corruption and terrorism, that involve potential violations of federal tax laws. This is done to ensure compliance with the law and to protect the integrity of our tax system. This effort is vital to the security of our economy and the success of our nation,” said James D. Vickery, Special Agent in Charge, Denver Field Office.
This case was prosecuted by Tim Neff, Assistant United States Attorney, and investigated by Special Agents of the IRS-Criminal Investigation, Denver Field Office. For more information about Tax Fraud see http://www.treas.gov/irs/ci.
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